Episode 62: Warriors: Legionaries

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Idle Red Hands

“Cry ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war!”
– William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

We don’t let slip dogs, however. We let slip men, manly men, men’s men. Roman men whose virtus strained against the chains of disciplina. Men who could march all day and then spend three hours setting up camp, until their short, sweaty tunics clung to their broad shoulders and powerful backs. Men with thick, stubby fingers and stocky bodies covered in coarse, black hair. (Hmmm, this shouldn’t be turning me on, should it?)

In this installment of Warriors, we answer the age-old question of “Who da man?”

Episode 59: Campaign Confessions: Marvel Heroic Roleplaying

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Idle Red Hands

Another Idle Reds Hands first, TRUE BELIEVERS! We review a game, Marvel Heroic Roleplaying: Basic Game, in the same year that it is released.
LISTEN TO: The elusive Visible Woman!
LISTEN TO: The Human Torch vs. Count “Doctor” Nefaria! Only one will survive! Only one will be called by his correct name!
PLUS: The return of Yujiro the Sleepy!

Episode 53: D&D and THE SECRET FIRE

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Idle Red Hands

D&D retroclone + name-dropping + “immersion mechanics” = THE SECRET FIRE (But does it equal a good game?)

In this episode, we discuss what the new character roles could be in D&D 5e. We also look at THE SECRET FIRE, which promises to be nostalgic and innovative, dramatic and tactical, and all caps and, no, just all caps.

Episode 51: Dungeons and Dragons 5e

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Idle Red Hands

In this episode, we seize this rare opportunity to be topical and talk about the biggest news in gaming since the announcement of Dungeons and Dragons 4e: the announcement of, uh, Dungeons and Dragons 5e. We give our 5e wish list and, oddly enough for three guys that have yet to figure out to how to monetize their podcast, give our thoughts on what Wizards of the Coast’s business strategy should be.

Next episode, we look at Street Fighter: The Storytelling Game. Here to stay?

Episode 46: Campaign Confessions: Savaged Worlds Part 2

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Idle Red Hands

It was to be a story for the ages. Its heroes dwarfed The Iliad‘s. Its pathos rivaled Oedipus Rex. It had more earth-threatening disasters than a Roland Emmerich film. And it lasted three sessions.

In this episode, we discuss The Marius Chronicles and its premature demise. We talk about party design, “yes” GMs, “no” GMs, and the dangers of elevator pitching a game.

Episode 45: Campaign Confessions: Savaged Worlds Part 1

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Idle Red Hands

Eight years after its release, the always topical Idle Red Hands review new(ish) RPG kid on the block Savage Worlds. Does the game live up to its promise of being “fast, furious, and fun”? Well, one of us found it fast, another found it fun, and someone was furious. Listen to find out who thought what.

Yujiro guest hosts. (Hey! That makes four people. Now, you really need to listen to the episode.)

Episode 44: Gamer Etiquette

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Idle Red Hands

In this episode, we talk about the games we played at the most recent JIGG (Japan’s International Gamers Guild) Game Day and gamer etiquette.

Here’s a list of the rules of etiquette that didn’t make the episode:
Don’t eat over the communal pizza.
Trash talking is fine.
Never ever allow do-overs, except under the following 83 circumstances…

Yujiro and Kristos guest host. Actually, Wayne and Lyal just do Kristos impressions.

Episode 41: Cartoons

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Idle Red Hands

Idle Red H.A.N.D.S. (Hero Action and Network Defense Squad) is the code name for Japan’s daring, highly trained special mission force. Its purpose: to defend gamer freedom against the Active Blue T.O.E.s (Terrorist Organization of Evil), a ruthless terrorist organization of, uh, evil determined to rule the Internet.

In this episode, the Idle Red H.A.N.D.S. discuss the cartoons they watched as kids and which elements they could use in their games. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.

Correction: The name of the Visionary Darkling Lord discussed is Cravex, not Craven. Who knew that a cartoon could be so subtle?

Episode 39: Creature Feature: Vampidemic

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Idle Red Hands

Mae: The light that’s leaving that star right now will take a billion years to get down here. You want to know why you’ve never met a girl like me before?
Caleb: Yeah. Why?
Mae: Because I’ll still be here when the light from that star gets down here to earth in a billion years.
– Near Dark

“We don’t cry at twilight. We don’t give interviews. We aren’t anyone’s children, day or night. We’re your fears, your desires, your taboos. We’re your worst nightmare and most delicious dream.” – Prince Idle the Red Hand

In this episode, we put the “red” in Idle Red Hands.

Episode 37: Literature Lesson: Lovecrafted

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Idle Red Hands

We opin the Month o’ Horror with aower debut Literature Lesson. In this un, we look at H.P. Lovecraft and haow te use ’is queer themes in yer games. Naow, dis Lovecraft feller kin set a body thinkin’, an’ when we git ta thinkin’, we git ta talkin’. Thar’s plenty here ta stir ye up an’ make yer blood tickle. See ef ye kin find aower leetle soorprises fer ye.

Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn. I ain’t never heerd nothing like this befer, but ’tis paowerful stuff. Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn. Naow, don’t that beat all. Queer haow suthin’ gits a holt on ye. Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn. Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn. Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh…

Idle Red Hands

A Podcast From Japan About Games and Gamer Culture

Tag Archives: Dungeons and Dragons 4e (RPG)